Improvement in car-starters



J. CLARK.

Car-Starters.

Patent'edJune 9,1874.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH-CLARK, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARTSTARTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters PatentNo. 151,684, dated June 9,1874; application filed April 5, 1873.

To all fwhom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, J osEPH CLARK, of Camden, in the county of Camdenand State of New Jersey, have invented a Combined Car Brake and Starter,of which the following is a specication:

My invention relates to the combination of levers with the starting-rodand with camwheels on the front axle, in such a manner as to provide forelevating the front end of the car, so as to have the weight of the caravailable for starting thesame. The device also acts as a brake, ashereinafter described.

Figure l is a reverse plan view of the front end of the bottom A of thecar and parts attached. Fig. 2 is a vertical section at the line w :v ofFig. 1, in a direct position.

Like letters of reference in both figures indicate the same parts.

A represents the bottom of the car. B is the front axle, and C Ctraction-wheels. D D are levers, connected by means ofthe fulcrumpins EE with the bottom of the car. The front ends of the levers are providedwith toothed racks F F, which connect with the pinion G on thestarting-rod H. (Seen clearly in Fig. 2.) The rear ends of the leversare provided with friction-wheels I I, which are brought under thecam-wheels J J, fast on the front axle B, by turning the starting-rod H,so as to bring the levers into the position seen in Fig. 3. The largepart of the cams in the forward motion of the car being brought intocontact with the wheels of the car, the front end 1of the same iselevated, as seen in full lines in Fig. 3. The cam-wheels J J terminatewith concentric parts J J', which roll on the friction-wheels when therear ends of the levers are borne farther outward, by a further turningaround of the starting-bar, and the dat sides of the friction-wheels arebrought into contact with the inner sides of the ratchetwheels K K,which are fast to the cam-wheels, so as to act as a brake, thusdispensing with the necessity of using ordinary brakes. There aresprings L L, connected at one end, respectively, with the levers D D,their free ends bearing against the pawls M M, so as to bring them intocontact with the said ratchet-wheels K K, when the levers are throwninto the position seen in Fig. 2, thereby holding the front end of thecar in its elevated position, while in this position the operator, bybearing hard on the handle of the starting-rod, forces the sides of thefriction-wheels against the inner sides of the ratchet-wheels and stopsthe car.

When the car is to be started, the driver, by` giving the starting-bar areverse motion, turns the rear ends of the levers D D inward, thusdrawing the friction-Wheels I I from under the cam-wheels J J, and theratchet-wheels being still connected with the pawls, the front end ofthe car descends gradually until it comes to its lowest position. Incoming into this position the weight of the end of the bearing upon thepawls gives a rolling motion to the Wheels and starts the car.

In the rolling off of the ratchet-wheels the pawls M are disengaged andfall back from the wheels by their own weight into the position seen inbroken lines in Fig. 3.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination of the levers D D, havingfriction-wheels I I, with the starting-rod H and the cam-wheels J J,having ratchetwheels K K and annular concentric surfaces J J on the axleB, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the bot-tom of the car and the axle B, thecam-wheels J J, having annular concentric surfaces J J', startingrod H,levers D D, pro vided with friction-wheels I I, toothed racks FF, pinionG, ratchet-wheels K K, and springs L L, substantially as described.

JOSEPH CLARK. Witnesses :l

STEPHEN UsTIcK,

THOMAS J BEWLEY.

